Sunday, August 25, 2013

Snow Treasure Projets

I use this when I am studying the Holocaust in an English Speaker class for a high level English speaking class.  This book could also be used for 5 points Bagrut, with English Ministry approval, of course.


You can change anything that you need to in order to make it work for your class.





• Find the country of Norway on a map or globe. Answer these questions.

o What is the capital of Norway? Where is it located?

o Why is fishing an important part of Norway's economy?

o What percentage of the country falls within the Arctic Circle?

• A fiord is a deep narrow inlet of the sea between high, steep banks or

cliffs. Find photographs of fiords in the library. These will help you

understand the setting of this story better.

• What was unusual about the weather in Norway in the winter of 1940?

• What was Peter's father planning to do with the gold bullion? Why was

• What did Uncle Victor mean when he said to Peter, "You're all right,

• The opening chapters of Snow Treasure provide background information

for the book. Complete a chart that shows the information that you have

gathered about characters, using their name and description as well as

the central problems in the story.

• Do you think children should be trusted to transport the gold? What risks

would they face? Would you want a similar responsibility? Why or why

• What evidence was there that the adults of Riswyk had great faith in

• Why was Herr Holm worried about the weather?

• As Peter was made aware of the plans to remove the gold, he "could

hardly believe this was real life and that it was his father who was

talking and not two characters in a book or film." Write about a dramatic

moment in your own life that had a similar feeling or unreality.

• Imagine you are a newspaper reporter in 1940. Write a news story

describing the German invasion of Norway. Remember that a good news

story tells who, what, where, when and why in the first paragraph. The

other paragraphs include important details.

• Imagine that the young German captain must write a report of his day's

patrol. Write what the captain might say about what he saw in his two

• Imagine you are Peter. Write a journal entry describing what you have

been doing and how you feel about the events so far.

• Imagine the Germans put up posters in Riswyk after Peter and Jan Lasek

disappeared. Write these "wanted" posters describing each fugitive and

telling the reasons he abandoned Norway.

• After a five-minute planning session with your literature circle group,

role-play any of the following imaginary scenes:

o Peter has a farewell scene with his mother just as the ship is about

o Peter and Jan talk with Uncle Victor about their future plans.

o Peter and Jan are recaptured by the German Commandant, but

o Mama receives her first letter from Peter in America. She shares it

with Peter's father and the rest of the family.

• Although much of this story is historically correct, no one is certain

whether the story about the children of Norway actually happened.

Nonetheless, the people of Norway acted courageously under Nazi

occupation. Do some research on Norway during World War II and find

out what life was like during the occupation and what acts of courage are

• Create three brief news announcements for Radio Free Europe based on

descriptions found in Snow Treasure._

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